Tag: Westphal Chevy Blog

Chevrolet Gives New Three-Row Crossover A Name

Last November, Chevrolet unveiled its FNR-CarryAll Concept at the Guangzhou Motor Show. At first glance, this three-row crossover features much of the same styling as the reborn Blazer. The biggest difference, aside from the former being merely a concept? The Blazer is two-row only. That’ll soon change, according to a report from GM Authority.

Its sources are claiming Chevrolet will debut a new mid-size three-row crossover dubbed the Blazer XL. It’ll supposedly go on sale first in China in 2020 and will come to additional markets in due time. The Blazer XL will essentially be the production version of the FNR concept and its general styling will be very similar to the concept and standard Blazer.

However, its length will be extended by 5.5 inches while maintaining nearly the same 112.9-inch wheelbase. In other words, both crossovers will ride on the same platform. But wait, doesn’t Chevy already have a three-row crossover on sale in the US? Yes, that would be the Traverse. And yes, it too rides on the same platform as the Blazer and upcoming Blazer XL. So why does Chevy need yet another three-row CUV? Believe it or not, the Traverse is not sold in China, the world’s largest automotive market, because it’s too big.

HIGHLAND — Like most classic car restorations, what was once a goal full of enthusiasm shortly was placed on the back burner and became a story of “I’ll get to it later.”

Twenty years ago, Gil Moen III purchased a 1957 Chevy Bel Air with the hope of one day restoring it to its former glory and later enjoying that car with his oldest son, Gil Moen IV. Last May, however, Gil Moen III received the news that no one wants to receive. He had been diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer and was given only eight to twelve months to live.

His first thoughts after the diagnosis were, “what about my car, what about my dream?” It was soon after his diagnosis that friends Ryan Wendel and Dennis Palombo, who had just opened the doors to Phoenix Customs, their custom restoration and fabrication shop in Mapleton, decided to step in and make sure that his car was finished and drivable.

His main worry was what would become of the car after he passed. He worried about leaving such an enormous project with his wife, Melissa Moen, and their four children to deal with. That was the motivation to get the car finished so his family would have something to hold on to.

“I spoke to Dennis about helping finish Gil’s car,” Wendel said. “Dennis and I both have sons of our own and a love of old cars as Gil and his son share. We knew it would mean the world to not only Gil but “Little Gil” (Gil’s oldest son) to have this car done. Having just opened their new shop, they knew time spent on the build would have to take place after hours and on weekends. This led to many long nights and extra time in the shop all to finish this special car for their good friend.

Labor was provided mostly from Wendel and Palombo in the beginning, but with his health permitting, the father and son periodically went down to the shop to help where they could. When the car arrived, it was in primer with no paint, no interior and it did not run. One night, Palombo and two of his son’s, Lane and Tyler Palombo, Wendel, and a friend Tyson Fiedler got the car sanded down and ready for paint.

Moen III had originally planned on the car being painted satin black, as he wasn’t sure how the body would look with gloss black applied. After they finished the bodywork, Wendel decided the paint the Bel Air gloss black because of the quality work that Moen III had put in to the body. They went the extra mile to give the paint a deep shine by cutting and polishing to make the paint appear as good as it could.

After the painting was complete, two of Gil’s friends, Jim Bowlby and Brian Riding, went down to the shop to help get all the wiring in place as well as the final assembly. The team also took on the project of restoring and finishing the interior of the car and making sure it ran properly.

“It was truly an honor to have Gil in our shop,” Wendel said. “Despite his circumstances, he always brought a positive attitude, laughter and was always too excited to see his car and his dream come true.”

What was truly amazing was most labor and materials used were donated by people involved with the build. The team even spoke to their paint supplier who generously donated all the paint and materials for the car.

The Bel Air was finished the first week of December 2018, where Moen III was able to finally see his dream realized and take his prized car out for a drive with his son Moen IV.

Melissa Moen was especially grateful for the kindness shown by friends and family who all worked to get the project done. “It is beautiful, and those friends are angels,” she said. “Sadly, Gil is down to his final weeks. It is heartbreaking to witness. Moen IV is 16 and has spent his entire life in our garage helping his dad, but the car is absolutely stunning and will be a treasured legacy.”

The family plans to hold on to the car after Gil Moen III passes, where it will be kept safe and in pristine condition in an offsite storage facility. The car will serve as a reminder of the life that Gil Moen III lived and will forever be known as “Gil’s Bel Air.”

Production of the Chevrolet Volt hybrid and Buick LaCrosse ended at the facility on February 15, and neither model will be replaced as the automaker shifts its product focus toward fully-electric cars and utility vehicles.

The U.S. factories can’t technically be closed permanently unless an agreement is reached with the United Auto Workers union, and GM executives have been using the term “unallocated” to describe their immediate futures. The Impala is also produced at a GM factory in Oshawa, Canada, that is scheduled to be idled at the end of 2019.

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Chevrolet makes a great showing at this years 2019 Detroit Auto Show. Watch this video to see all the latest models.

The 2019 Detroit Auto Show is also offering additional rebates on our most popular models. And, just announced today…the addition of FLEX CASH! Flex Cash is additional cash back that is good in addition to all other incentives but you’ve got to hurry. When we run out of FLEX CASH there is no more and the offer expires. So, the early bird gets the FLEX CASH!

Want to see these wonderful Chevrolet models in person? Visit our dealership located in Aurora, IL on the corner of Route 30 and Route 34 where Aurora meets Oswego, IL. We’ve got over 450 vehicles in stock to choose from. Call our customer care team at 630-898-9630 and we’ll make sure your vehicle of choice is cleaned, gassed and parked in our heated facility, ready for your inspection.

Ron Westphal Chevrolet is a family-owned dealership serving the Aurora, Oswego and Yorkville communities for over 30 years!

Thanks for looking at our video about the 2019 Detroit Auto Show. Hope to see you soon.

Auxiliary controls in the rear of the cabin include air delivery mode and temperature up/down settings

Sensors strategically located around the vehicle constantly monitor the temperature, including solar heating from the windows

Interior humidity sensor

Continuously reads the temperature and humidity inside the vehicle

Automatically adjusts airflow to match the individual climate settings for both the driver and front passenger

Rear window defogger

Helps to keep your rear view clear

Utilizes a warming grid to remove fog or frost from the rear window

Rear heat duct

Provide additional cabin comfort for rear occupants

Inside rearview manual day/night mirror

Adjust the tilt of the mirror to help reduce glare during nighttime driving

Umbrella holders

Located in front door pockets

Driver and front passenger visors with illuminated mirrors

Include covered mirrors

Interior lighting

Theater dimming and delayed entry/exit lighting as you enter or leave the vehicle

Overhead courtesy lamp

Dual reading lights

Second row reading lamps integrated into dome light

Illuminated entry and exit feature

Door and tailgate activated switches

Cargo area

10 total cupholders

Cargo storage, tray under rear floor

Mechanical

3.6L V6 engine

310 hp @ 6800 rpm

266 lb-ft of torque at 2800 rpm

Variable Valve Timing and Spark Ignition Direct Injection

Includes Start-Stop technology that helps save fuel by automatically shutting off the engine when the car comes to a stop and the brake pedal is pressed; the engine restarts on its own when the brake is let up

9-speed automatic transmission

Electronically controlled transmission with overdrive and Driver Shift Control

Smooth, effortless automatic shifting

E10 fuel capable

Allows your vehicle to operate on a fuel mixture of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline that is sold in many parts of the country

Automatic Stop/Start

At complete stops, when drivers keep their foot on the brake pedal, and under certain conditions, the engine shuts off

When drivers remove their foot from the brake, the engine automatically restarts

Traction Mode Select

Allows you to select how your vehicle responds and adapts to various driving conditions

It allows for real-time control based on changing conditions

3.49 axle ratio

Front wheel drive

Heavy-duty 600 cold-cranking amps battery

Maintenance-free with rundown protection and retained accessory power

170-amp alternator

6,160 lbs. GVWR

When properly equipped; includes weight of vehicle, passengers, cargo and equipment

Ride and Handling suspension

Fully independent suspension is tuned for a smooth ride and optimum handling

Last November Chevrolet unveiled something rather unique, the all-electric eCOPO Camaro. With 700 hp and 600 lb-ft of instant torque on tap, this drag racer is powered by a pair of electric motors which gets its juice from a 32 kWh battery pack. An automatic gearbox distributes all of that power to the same solid rear axle found in the regular production COPO Camaro drag racers.

Today, another video has been posted online showing the 2019 eCOPO Camaro doing its first run ever and, to our great enjoyment, it even popped a wheelie. We’re also being told it only used roughly 80 percent of its total power for its first run. Imagine it at full power and, in future model years, with numerous upgrades. As we said back in November, full electrification doesn’t sound completely terrible, only different. It’s just something we’re going to have to get used to.

But the eCOPO Camaro’s first time specs are very impressive: it completed the quarter-mile in 10.142 seconds at 130.85 mph. Imagine where these figures will be once Chevy’s engineers work out any kinks. After all, the eCOPO Camaro is only a concept, for now. Chevrolet has said it might offer electric crate motors like the one used here at some point down the line, but this still is not confirmed.

Still, the eCOPO Camaro could become a production drag racer in the very near future. Given GM’s previous announcements regarding its intent to become a global leader in all-electric powertrains, don’t be surprised to see concept become reality.

The Impala is both a muscle car and family car. But do you know that Chevrolet toyed with the idea of a four-door convertible. Find out more.

The XP-834, is built upon a 1965 four-door sedan body. According to an internal memo, the body incorporated several modifications.

Throwback Thursday: Chevrolet Built An Impala Four-Door Convertible

The convertible has been the focus of countless songs, movies, and even television shows, but in 1964, General Motors had an idea to build a convertible that was ahead of its time. On June 4, 1964, Chevrolet started outlining a program that would see a four-door, 1965 Impala become a convertible. The car was to be a design-study piece, meant for display at the November 1965 Detroit Auto Show. Dubbed project XP-834, the Chevrolet Caribe convertible sedan was to be completed by December 4, 1964. Unfortunately, scheduling conflicts and even a strike at the Fisher Body Works plant caused that deadline to be missed.

The car is built upon a 1965 four-door sedan body, that was procured from the Fisher-Janesville plant. According to an internal memo, the body incorporated the following modifications: no roof panel, rails or bows, no rear window, and would incorporate the front end and windshield from a convertible. The car also required rocker panel reinforcements, the use of heavier-gauge metal to create the inner and outer lock pillars, and finally, provisions for air conditioning.

With the program taking longer than anyone anticipated, on May 6, 1965 it was announced that management was losing interest in a four-door convertible, but the project would be able to continue. On July 9, 1965, another internal document states that the car was to be updated using 1966 Impala parts, and in October of that year, the transformation was still underway.

On September 29, 1965, with 99-percent of the work complete, it was decided that the car would not be shown at the Detroit Auto Show. There is no explanation why, just that focus was switching to the 1966 Chicago Auto Show. That plan was soon nixed, as on February 15, 1966, the car was withdrawn from the Chicago Auto Show at the behest of Mr. Elliot (Pete) Estes. Unfortunately, that’s where our paper trail grows cold, as the last entry states that on March 1, 1966, the car was not used at the Chicago Auto Show.

There is not a lot of information that can be found about the car. In fact, a source says that the car was probably scrapped, but no one at the GM can recall exactly what happened after it was built. We were able to find out that a Mark II 396 cubic-inch engine and a three-speed automatic transmission was destined to power the car.

In regards to the interior, the work order/document outlining the project lists that a 1966 “E” Astro bench seat (model 1796-391), and 1965 Chevrolet six-way power adjusters were to be used for the front seat. Upon further inspection, it appears that in actuality, the Stratoback seat option was utilized. This seat not only gives a sporty look, but with a fold-down armrest, allows the car to carry six persons. Fisher Body Works was integral in the design and implementation of the windshield, windshield header and latches, modification of the doors, and the Infora folding top. The top was designed to fold flush into the body and then get covered by a hard boot.

Thanks for reading about Throwback Thursday: Chevrolet Built An Impala Four-Door Convertible.

A Jalopnik reader turned up this for-sale listing of what appears to be the perfect 1980s Chevy Caprice. So how much is it worth?

There are a couple different years of the full-size Chevrolet that you could argue are the very, very best. (The fishbowl coupes from the first downsized years of 1977-1979 are a personal favorite, as are the gruff 1965s and bubbly 1961s.) But it’s hard to argue that any of them offer a more stylish experience in the present day. And what is that experience? The 1980s Caprice represents courage in the face of adversity, or at least enough coke to cover it up.

Hi, I’m selling my 1983 Chevrolet Caprice Classic. This is the ultimate testament of the bygone era. If this car could be any more ‘80s it would be wearing leg warmers and snorting cocaine off a picture of Ronald Reagan.

Under the skin this Box Chev is as normal as conceivably possible, with a small block and an automatic running power to the rear with body-on-frame construction.

It is simple. It is tough. It is The Car.

The car is for sale in LA showing a very tidy 66,000 miles, 600 away from being perfect. The roof has a chunk of missing paint but the AC, reportedly, blows cold.

At the moment, bidding is at $8,000 and the buy-it-now is 10.5, which both seems like a lot for an ordinary car, but nowhere near enough for what is, in a way, a true classic.